So, I was inspired to add another installment to this awhile back but never actually wrote it. I know a lot of people, myself included, wondered why August and Emma's friendship wasn't really explored after he turned back into an adult come season 4. Reminder, this was a S5 canon divergence, so the events in season 6 never happened. This is split up into part, one before Killian died and the next is after.

BEFORE

August walked out into the workshop, sighing a bit as he shut the door. His father was clearly torn about what Rumpelstiltskin had done to him. While he loved his son, regardless of how old he was, Blue turning back the clock had been a way for them to make up for lost time. While August had enjoyed it, he was relieved to be back to his normal self. He had a life, and yes it had been rough, filled with mistakes, he was a better man now. One thing he couldn't wait to do, was rekindle his friendship with Emma.

Just as he sat down, ready to start getting back to his writing, he could feel a presence lingering in the doorway. Still on guard from being kidnapped just days prior, he turned around, his hand going to the gun that was in his pocket. He let out a small sigh of relief when he found Killian standing there.

"It's just you," he said. "Sorry, I'm a bit jumpy."

"Understandable." Killian entered the workshop, looking around at everything. "Feel good to be a man again?"

"I suppose." He studied the pirate's face for a minute and could tell that he wasn't there to make a social call. "What brings you here?"

"Emma was talking about you today, said how close you were before you were turned back into a lad." August nodded, still unsure what he was on about. "She also told me about what you did to her and Baelfire."

"That was years ago…"

"I am not here to judge you for that. I'm here to ask you to do the same as you did back then."

August's eyebrows crinkled. "Excuse me?"

"Well, half of it. I want you to walk away from Emma and never speak to her again."

August tilted his head, trying to tell if Killian was serious. Once he did, he rose to his feet, getting up in his face. The guy may have had a hook for his hand, but he wasn't scared of him. He had faced worse enemies in the past.

"And just why should I listen to you?" August asked.

"Because Emma is mine now. I don't need you interfering."

"I don't think I want you around her if this is your reaction to us being friends," he replied, suddenly feeling a surge of protectiveness. Maybe he had been a shit guardian angel in the past, but he was trying to fix that.

"Oh, so you're going to rip another true love away from her? Emma doesn't even trust you. She told me so, she doesn't want anything to do with you."

August didn't believe that. "Then why did she seem so happy to see me?"

"Nostalgia, but as she remembered all you were done to her, she got angry, upset. She wants you out of her life and so do I."

August stared into his eyes, unsure of what to believe. Killian just gave him a sick grin before walking out of the workshop again, leaving August alone with nothing but his thoughts. He wasn't sure if Killian was telling the truth, after all he seemed to have motive. He decided he would confront Emma about all of it the next day.

Unfortanately, that was when the town was cursed by Isaac. By the time everyone returned, it was a mere hour before Emma was cursed to be the Dark One and she had vanished once again. Upon their return from Camelot, Emma ignored him like the plague. He had even sent her offers of helping her with whatever she needed, but got nothing in return. What he didn't know was that Emma was pushing everyone away, not just him. However, thanks to Killian's words, the fate of their friendship seemed to be sealed.

AFTER

Emma was curled up on the couch, watching another episode of Orange Is The New Black. It had been a quiet day for her. She didn't have another session until later in the week and she had convinced her parents she'd be fine enough alone so they could take Neal to a doctor's appointment. It was taking time, but she could feel herself slowly going back to who she was. Was it hard to face her demons? Of course, but she knew it was necessary. Slowly but surely, she was also making peace with all she had hurt while she had been under Killian's spell.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Abandoning her quilt, she padded over and opened it, smiling a bit at finding August standing there. She hadn't seen him in months.

"August, hey. What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Your parents asked me to fix your video camera." He held up a bag. "Sorry it took me so long, but this thing is as old as Moses. Took me awhile to get all the right parts."

Emma skeptically took the bag and lifted out the camera. To her surprise, it came to life, showing her the videos she had recorded. A big smile spread across her face. She set it down on a table by the door before throwing her arms around neck.

"Thank you so much!" She cried out. "I thought this was lost forever."

"You're welcome." August carefully patted her back before pulling away.

"Do you want to come in? I'm watching Netflix, but we can put on a horror movie, maybe dig up some junk food?"

August stared at her for a minute. "You already said thanks, you don't have to do all that."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "I'm not doing it because you fixed the camera. We haven't hung out since you got turned back into a guy."

"I've just been giving you what you want, Em."

"Huh?"

"I know you hate me for what I did, you wanted me out of your life. So, that's what I got."

"What? How did any of my reaction to seeing you again when I saved you back at the cabin show that I didn't want you in my life?"

"Killian told me what you wanted and your actions after that proved it."

Emma felt her heart sink in her chest at the name of her dead boyfriend. She should've known he was behind all of this. It wouldn't be the first person that admitted to her that the pirate had threatened them to stay away from her.

"August, I never told Killian that I didn't want you in my life," Emma told him. "And the only reason why I pushed you away when I was the Dark One, was because I was doing the same with everyone. I had to keep people safe, or that's what I thought I was doing." She could tell that August wanted to believe her, but was hesitant. "You know Lily? Maleficent's daughter? She's the other girl on this tape." He nodded. "She was my best friend when we were younger. After her, I didn't have another…until you."

"Emma…"

"I never told Killian that I wanted you out of my life, it was quite the opposite actually. I told him that you were only friend I let in after her, that you were special to me. He was jealous, but I didn't realize just how badly." She bit her lip, shaking her head. "I'm so sorry he did that to you. This is all my fault."

"Hey," August put a hand on her arm. "Don't do that. You didn't make him do that."

"I let him into my life, I let him hurt so many people I care about, you included." She looked up at him. "Please forgive me."

"There's nothing to be forgiven about. Just promise we can go back to being friends."

A small smile went across Emma's face. "As far as I'm concerned, we never stopped."

August grinned in response. He put his arm around her and they walked into the loft together. When Snow and David returned with Neal, they found the two playing games on the Wii and laughing. They looked at each other with a smile on their face. They were glad to see the old Emma coming back bit by bit, including her spending time with friends.